Inside The Bills

The Bills brain trust spent round one of the draft watching names come off the board, no doubt paying particular attention to the picks by their AFC East rivals.

And when it comes to the New York Jets, it looks like they got a major influx of talent to their already talented defensive line.

The Jets chose USC DE Leonard Williams with the 6th overall pick in the draft. Some draft experts regarded him as the “safest” pick in the draft, others thought he was one of the most talented player available.

Williams doesn’t even turn 21 for another couple of months. At 6-5, 302 pounds, Williams joins a big, physical Jets defensive line that already includes Muhammad Wilkerson, Damon Harrison, and Sheldon Richardson. Wilkerson and Richardson were also first round picks by the Jets.

Bills GM Doug Whaley says the Bills thought highly of Leonard Williams and are sorry to see him land in the division.

“Good player. I wish he didn’t go to the Jets in the division,” Whaley said after round one ended. “Good for them. He’s a heckuva player. We thought he was the best defensive player and probably the best player in the draft.”

Veteran Muhammad Wilkerson is entering the final year of his contract and the selection of Leonard Williams has ramped up speculation that New York might put Wilkerson on the market.

“”Right now, Muhammad is on our team,” Jets GM Mike Maccagnan told NJ.com Thursday night. “Again, I’m not going to speculate. We’re not actively trying to shop Muhammad. Right now, he’s part of us. Obviously, at some point in time, we’re going to talk to him and his agent, and kind of proceed forward.”

The Jets, who are coming off their bye held a practice on Monday and an emerging weapon for them on offense as well as one of their most valuable players on defense were not at practice.

That according to ESPN New York’s Rich Cimini, who reported both their absences during the media viewing portion of practice. The absences have raised some red flags with the New York media knowing coming off the bye players that did not have a previous injury should be good to go. It has since been reported by Newsday Jets reporter Kim Martin that both players were ill Monday.

The best part about Jackson’s run is that Jets DL Muhammad Wilkerson thinks they’ve got Jackson stopped and with his back to the play he waves his hands out to his sides as if to indicate that the Bills got nothing on the play and it’s fourth down.

As he’s doing this Jackson literally runs right past him and Wilkerson is shocked and hopelessly starts running after him. The best view of this is on the end zone camera on the second run through of Jackson’s carry. Too funny. Way to make them look silly Fred.

Jets DL Muhammad Wilkerson was considered iffy for New York’s season finale against the Bills in Buffalo. He was dealing with what Rex Ryan said was a concussion and knee injury from last week’s game, but he’s listed as probable.

“I plan on playing Sunday,” Wilkerson told ESPN New York. He insisted that he didn’t have a concussion and was cleared to play after passing the required tests. Wilkerson said he feels “good” heading into the team’s regular season finale against Buffalo. “They were making sure I didn’t have a concussion. But I didn’t have one. I just showed symptoms but I was fine.”

Wilkerson has been New York’s best defensive lineman the past few weeks posting four of his five sacks this season in his last six games.

They were non-participants Wednesday, but DL Muhammad Wilkerson and WR Braylon Edwards were back on the practice field for the Jets Thursday.

DL Muhammad Wilkerson, who is trying to return from a concussion and a knee injury, got back on the practice field as did WR Braylon Edwards (knee/hamstring). Both were limited. Here’s a full list of the Jets’ limited participants in practice.

Wilkerson and Taylor figure to be late first-round picks and the Jets draft pick 30th overall. With NT Kris Jenkins not expected back and DE Shaun Ellis soon to be 33-years old, New York needs an influx of youth up front, so seeing them pull the trigger on either one of these players would come as no surprise on draft day.

Watching Taylor work at the Senior Bowl all week, he was downright dominant. Wilkerson offers the versatility of playing a 3-4 end or a 3-4 nose if needed.

Impactmo9 Lets eat, it’s money to be made todayWilkerson is forecast as a mid to late first-round pick. He had 9.5 sacks in his last season at Temple and is seen as an end in a 3-4 defense. He was initially thought to be a possible option for the Bills at the top of round 2, but he’s not expected to get out of the first round and a solid pro day today would eliminate that completely.